How I Beat Instagram's 30 Day Deletion Window
After 13 years on Instagram and three failed deletion attempts, my account was finally gone for good on my fourth try. What got me there was simple: before requesting deletion, I screen recorded everything within my Instagram app.
Instagram gives you 30 days to change your mind before deletion is final, and logging back in during that window resets the clock. Those 30 days were where I kept getting pulled back in — until I started rewatching the recording instead of logging in.
On the 9th of March 2026, my account was finally gone forever. I still remember going to bed the night before, excited to wake up the next morning — and when I did, the sense of freedom I felt hasn't faded nearly six months later.
Here's how I made the recording, handled losing access to my Instagram DMs, and got through those 30 days.
Screen recording
https://support.apple.com/en-lb/guide/iphone/iph52f6e1987/ios
I used the built in Screen Recording function on my iPhone to record one long video of everything contained within my Instagram app and account. I kept track of things such as DMs (Direct Messages), search history, followers, following, my posts and saved posts (lots of kitten videos).
The reason I did this was because during the 30 day recovery period I would feel the need to log back into Instagram and check something I had forgotten about, this would restart the 30 day period, which is why I failed 3 times. During my 4th attempt I would watch the screen recording of everything contained within my Instagram experience and realise that my FOMO was an illusion, I wasn’t missing out on anything.
Losing DMs
Something that might concern you would be losing contact with people you message solely on Instagram. A potential solution for this is to move all your conversations to other platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. You can also give them your email address and phone number too.
Resources that helped me during the 30 days
The first 4 minutes and 45 seconds of this video are most relevant: How to Quit Video Game, Pornography & Social Media Addiction | Dr. Andrew Huberman
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence with Anna Lembke:
Neuroplasticity Wikipedia Page
6 months later
I am writing this on September 1st, 2026 — just under six months since my account was deleted forever. Here's what changed.
Deleting Instagram had a domino effect. Within days I'd also dropped Reddit, X, and my PS5 — these time wasters lost their pull once I started feeling the immediate benefits. The biggest shift, though, was moving everything I could off my phone and onto my computer instead. Nowadays I actively use my phone for one hour a day, maximum. Reading and exercising is now effortless, no more friction.
I still use Facebook Marketplace to buy and sell second hand items and YouTube for videos worth watching. Both are risky to keep around — the feeds are built the same way Instagram's was — an app blocker is essential for both.
Overall, there have been no downsides to not having Instagram — only a massive upside I still benefit from every day. I spent 30 days to solve the problem and have reaped the rewards for 176 days now (March 9th to September 1st).
Contact
My email address if you need to contact me: help@shouldwemakeit.com